Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

Behind the thin front door of Han Woo-Ju's house, the argument that was occurring between the two siblings showed no signs of stopping.

-Fine. I won't go and confront that woman. But don't work with her on this project!

-Woo-Hyuk, it's not that simple. You can't make a drama without connections. That's why I need to work with Mrs. Yoo no matter what.

It seemed that Han Woo-Ju was trying to collaborate with Yoo Sun-Jung again even after having her last project taken away.

Wanting to understand the situation better, I rang the doorbell.

Ding dong~

When the faint chime of the old doorbell rang out, the voices of the two people arguing quieted down.

Then I heard Han Woo-Ju's voice.

-Who is it?"

-What? You're from an entertainment company? But why...?

"You know Actress Jung Yoo-Jin, right? I'm Miss Jung Yoo-Jin's talent agent, Jung Yoon-Ho. I came because we're interested in the work you're writing."

-W-wait a moment, please!

The intercom cut off abruptly as soon as I introduced myself. A moment later, the old front door creaked open.

There stood Han Woo-Ju with her hair tied back tightly with a rubber band, dressed in a black tracksuit with white stripes. Behind her stood her younger brother, wearing a school uniform.

Pretending not to have overheard their conversation, I handed my business card to Han Woo-Ju. "I'm Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment."

"Are you saying Actress Jung Yoo-Jin is interested in my work?"

Han Woo-Ju, who was just under 160 cm tall, looked up at me as she asked. The expression on her face was a mix of doubt and hope. It seemed like she wanted to believe it, but the situation was too sudden and unexpected.

I nodded. "Yes. She said she read the synopsis and instantly felt this was the one."

Han Woo-Ju's face brightened, but then she tilted her head in confusion. "But where did you see my synopsis?"

"I saw it in the KBC writer's room. The title was listed as Hwaranjeon. Is that right?"

In my past life, Han Woo-Ju had said she had sent her first script to the KBC writer's room.

'But no one ever discovered it,' I recalled my past memories.

KBC had a writer's room where aspiring writers sent countless synopses and scripts, hoping for the broadcasting station to give it a single glance.

The junior writers who managed the room would gather these synopses and scripts into one pile. In reality, no one ever looked at them. They were just left there piled up like trash until the cleaning crew eventually threw them away.

Nonetheless, I calmly told Han Woo-Ju that I had read the synopsis she had sent.

"But I sent it just a week ago. H-how did you find it so quickly...?" Han Woo-Ju asked in a puzzled tone.

I gave a subtle smile. "I guess I got lucky."

As Han Woo-Ju gasped in surprise, her younger brother, Han Woo-Hyuk, spoke up pleadingly. "Mr. Jung! Does that mean you'll make my sister's work into a drama?"

Han Woo-Ju quickly tried to stop Han Woo-Hyuk. "Woo-Hyuk, it doesn't work like that. Even with an actor ready, you still need a production company, investors, and a broadcasting slot to make a drama—"

Interrupting her, I answered, "If Miss Yoo-Jin takes the lead role, securing a broadcast slot will be a breeze. All you need to focus on is writing."

Hearing this, Han Woo-Ju froze in shock. She hadn't expected to be able to debut so quickly.

At that moment, Han Woo-Hyuk asked carefully, "Um, hyung. Does that mean we don't have to worry about Yoo Sun-Jung anymore?"

I turned to look at Han Woo-Hyuk. "If you don't mind, could you tell me what's going on?"

Han Woo-Hyuk sighed and nodded. "Writer Yoo suggested co-authoring a script after seeing my sister's synopsis, but she took credit for the entire work the last time. And now, she's trying to do it again!"

I turned to Han Woo-Ju. "Is that true?"

At that moment, Han Woo-Ju reached out in an attempt to cover her brother's mouth. "Woo-Hyuk, that's not how it is!"

Han Woo-Ju jumped up and down, trying to stop her brother from speaking. However, her brother, who was around 180 cm tall, was way out of her reach.

Dodging his sister's attempts, Han Woo-Hyuk turned to me and asked, "Hyung, do you know the drama Under the Big Tree?"

"Yes, I know it."

"My sister wrote the whole thing! But Yoo Sun-Jung, who calls herself a mentor, published it under her own name! And all my sister got was 3 million won!"

Han Woo-Ju looked utterly shocked and her face turned pale. "W-Woo-Hyuk! You can't just say things like that! What if I get blacklisted in this industry?"

Under the Big Tree, written by Yoo Sun-Jung, was a melodrama with an impressive 19% average viewership ratings for its genre. Thanks to its emotional depth and vibrant characters, the actors in it had swept up advertising deals.

And now, I was hearing that it had actually been written by Han Woo-Ju.

"What happened, Ms. Han? Is all of this really true?"

Han Woo-Ju wore a resigned expression. With a heavy sigh, she began to explain the situation. "Sigh... It's true that I wrote Under the Big Tree. But I was promised that I could debut under my own name with my next project."

It was common for main writers to delegate a few episodes to assistant writers. However, in Han Woo-Ju's case, she had written Under the Big Tree entirely on her own.

Yoo Sun-Jung had promised to list Han Woo-Ju as a co-author, but her name had been nowhere to be found when the script was printed. Their ridiculous excuse for the reason was that the broadcast station and director were hesitant to work with a new writer.

After reading the synopsis for Hwaranjeon, Yoo Sun-Jung had approached Han Woo-Ju again, proposing to co-write this time. She even promised that Han Woo-Ju would be credited solely for her next work.

Hearing this, Han Woo-Hyuk clutched his chest with his anger boiling over. "Hyung, if you're the talent agent of someone famous like Jung Yoo-Jin, that means you have influence, right? Please help my sister!"

I calmed Han Woo-Hyuk down. "Don't worry. From now on, Ms. Han and Hoop Entertainment are one and on the same boat."

Then I continued, "Not only do we want to contract your work, but we'd also like you to become an exclusive writer with us. That way, Hoop Entertainment can handle everything."

However, Han Woo-Ju hesitated, perhaps concerned that this would get her into a conflict with her mentor.

"Is it really okay to do that without Mrs. Yoo's permission...?" Han Woo-Ju asked hesitantly.

Just then, Han Woo-Hyuk, looking like he had made up his mind, asked, "Um, hyung. If she signs a contract, will she receive an advance payment?"

"Yes, we'll provide an advance of up to 20 million won. The profit split would be 70% for Ms. Han and 30% for us."

Relieved, Han Woo-Hyuk nodded and looked at his sister. "Noona, stop hesitating and sign the contract. Dad's been admitted to Baek Hospital in Busan."

Suddenly, Han Woo-Ju snapped back to reality. "What? Why is Dad in the hospital?"

"He got injured at work."

"Wh-where did he get hurt?"

"He hurt his back while carrying some materials. He hasn't been able to work for a week and has been stuck in the hospital."

The siblings' father worked as a construction day laborer in Busan, and just a week ago, he suffered a herniated disc while moving tiles.

That's when Han Woo-Ju suddenly shouted, "Hey! Han Woo-Hyuk! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

Han Woo-Hyuk defended himself, saying he had no choice. "Dad told me not to say anything to you! He didn't want to disturb you while you were working on your project!"

Tears welled up in Han Woo-Ju's eyes. "You idiot... You should have told me..."

She burst into tears and collapsed onto the floor.

Seeing this, Han Woo-Hyuk also started to cry. "Noona, think about Dad who works day and night just to see you succeed as a writer! Do you know how much he wants to see a work with your name on it?"

I finally understood why Han Woo-Ju found the courage to reject Yoo Sun-Jung's offer and pursued her own project in my past life. It had been for her family.

After crying their eyes out for a while, the two siblings stood up.

Han Woo-Ju now had a determined look in her eyes. "I'll sign the contract, Mr. Jung."

"You've made the right decision. You won't regret it."

"Oh, our bad. Please come inside," Han Woo-Hyuk said, gesturing toward the inside of the house.

Realizing we had been talking at the entrance all this time, the siblings hurriedly invited me in.

I looked at them and proposed, "Let's take care of the contract later. First, let's register the copyright for your synopsis."

Han Woo-Ju looked puzzled. "But I've only written the first episode. Can I register the copyright with that?"

"You can register not only the script but the synopsis as well. You can even register the treatment too. Don't tell me Mrs. Yoo didn't teach you that?" I remarked.

Han Woo-Ju looked down and shook her head. "She didn't tell me anything about it. I had no idea."

A writer's creative work could be copyrighted with just a simple synopsis that included a brief plot and character background. However, since Han Woo-Ju had not graduated from a broadcasting writer's program, she wasn't aware of these basic procedures.

When I asked if she had a computer, she mentioned that she had a laptop she used and offered to bring it.

"I'll get it, Noona. You stay in the living room," said Han Woo-Hyuk before dashing into his room.

In the meantime, I sat across from Han Woo-Ju at the living room table and asked, "Regarding the synopsis, who else did you show it to besides the KBC writer's room?"

Han Woo-Ju began to list the people she had shown the synopsis to. "A week before I left it in the writer's room, I showed it to Writer Gae Eun-Sook at the KBC writer's room. And yesterday, I showed it to Mrs. Yoo. That's all."

Gae Eun-Sook was a writer with 20 years of experience who mainly worked with KBC. She hadn't produced any significant works and mostly did one-act dramas to assist other writers.

I mulled over her words. 'I'll need to bring Writer Gae Eun-Sook on board.'

If she could testify, it would greatly aid in any legal battle against Yoo Sun-Jung.

I continued asking, "And did you show it to anyone else?"

"No. After Mrs. Yoo saw it yesterday, she told me not to show it to anyone else."

This suggested that Yoo Sun-Jung hadn't had the chance to cause any problems yet.

Meanwhile, Han Woo-Hyuk returned with the laptop. "Here you go, hyung!"

The laptop Han Woo-Hyuk brought looked to be over five years old.

Wanting to register the copyright as quickly as possible, I pulled out the tablet I had brought along as the tablet was faster than the laptop.

I quickly registered an account and loaded the copyright registration page, before copying the digital certificate and files onto the tablet.

Shortly after, the copyright registration was completed.

I let out a sigh.

Han Woo-Ju looked at me with wide eyes. "I-is it done then?"

"No, this is just the beginning."

Although the copyright was registered, it wasn't the end of the matter—it was just the first step in solving the problem.

Nevertheless, we had passed a significant hurdle. Then, I handed the contract to Han Woo-Ju.

[Hoop Entertainment Standard Electronic Contract]

I pointed to the spots on the electronic contract displayed on the tablet where Han Woo-Ju needed to sign. "Please sign here, here, and here—three places in total. Once the contract is signed, our legal team will take over."

I began explaining the contract terms. "The advance payment is 20 million won. The revenue split will be 70% for you and 30% for us. The contract covers both domestic and international rights, and it will remain in effect for five years after the work is broadcast."

As I explained each term and answered any questions the siblings had, Han Woo-Ju nodded along and signed accordingly.

On the other hand, Han Woo-Hyuk carefully checked the contract for any issues.

'This guy... he'd make a perfect talent agent,' I remarked inwardly.

Since Han Woo-Hyuk was a high school senior, I wanted to ask about his future plans, but for now, Han Woo-Ju's situation was the priority.

"But Mr. Woo-Hyuk..."

"You can speak comfortably, hyung."

After a brief moment of hesitation, I nodded. "Alright, Woo-Hyuk. For now, Mrs. Yoo or her law firm might call often. Make sure your sister doesn't answer the phone and that you take the calls instead. Give them my contact information and tell them to call me directly."

"Oh, okay. Understood."

"And Ms. Han. Don't go back to work starting today."

Han Woo-Ju looked conflicted. "I left some clothes at the office... Can I at least go get them?"

"I'll buy you new ones, so let's forget about those. It's best not to do anything that might raise any kinds of suspicion."

After the contract was signed, I suggested that Han Woo-Ju and Han Woo-Hyuk accompany me to the company.

After all, both of them needed to be aware of what was about to unfold.

***

Upon arriving at Hoop Entertainment, they told Kang Ji-Yung about the situation, and she immediately mobilized the legal team.

The company’s legal team began gathering evidence for legal protection and recorded Han Woo-Ju's testimony. Then they promptly paid the 20 million won advance.

As soon as the 20 million won appeared in her bank account, Han Woo-Ju called her father.

At that moment, she suddenly began speaking in a thick Gyeongsang dialect. "Dad! It's me, Woo-Ju!"

-Oh my! Look who it is! It's my beloved eldest daughter!

Her father's gentle Gyeongsang dialect came through the phone.

Han Woo-Ju's father was from Busan, and since Han Woo-Ju had also attended school in Busan when she was younger, they were speaking in their own dialect.

"Dad, why did you keep it from me?"

-What are you talking about?

"Do you really think of me as your daughter?"

-Have you been daydreaming? Why would you say something like that?

Tears started to flow down Han Woo-Ju's face.

-Woo-Ju! Are you crying right now? Who made my daughter cry? I'll go and give them a good beating!

Despite being hospitalized for a herniated disc, her father was more concerned about his daughter.

Wiping away her tears, Han Woo-Ju grumbled. "What beating? Are you a gangster or something?"

-That's just a figure of speech. But really, why are you crying? You're making my heart ache.

"Don't you know how much my heart aches? You got injured and didn't even tell me!"

-...

"So don't ever do that again. If you do, I won’t be your daughter anymore!"

-Did Woo-Hyuk tell you?

"Yes! And just so you know, I've become a writer just like you wanted! So go ahead and get the surgery. I’ll send you the entire 20 million won!"

-20 million won? Are you serious?

"Yes! I'm sending Woo-Hyuk down to Busan, so get the surgery right away! From now on, I'll be earning the money. So don't worry! Got it?"

At that moment, her father shouted into the phone with his booming voice.

-My daughter's really a writer now?

"Yes, it's true! And Yoo-Jin unnie will be the lead actress of my work!"

-Hahaha! This is amazing! Woo-Ju, I feel like I've already healed just from hearing this great news! I don't even need the surgery! You're the best!

After her father found out that his daughter’s dream had come true, he kept shouting with joy.

However, the entry in my planner wasn't disappearing even with the contract signed and the synopsis registered for copyright.

Ristretto's Thoughts

Ristretto: I wish I had a way to translate the dialect into english 😢 It's super unique and interesting!

Yojj: I've linked a youtube short so that you guys can hear the difference between Seoul dialect and Busan (which is a city in the Gyeongsang region). https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aIy2UgE6hD4

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